Testaments

I Statue p 1

1

II PRECIOUS FLOWER p7

369A

2

• precious flowers but snares
• castle unlocked by magic ring

3

• aged 6 or 7
• activities at home, dollhouse
• powder room?

4

• my name at that time was Agnes Jemima

5

• my mother was dying

III Hymin p29

6

• The hair is the flame of the body’s candle.
• I’ve become swollen with power.

IV THE CLOTHES HOUND p37

7

369B

• many hints for the story

8

• George the perv
• Ada with the leather jacket
• the Pearl Girls

9

• pictures of kids at a young age
• her were burnt in a fire
• the protest no matter what

10

• the protest
• scuffles broke out
• Mel and Neil arranging something

11

• burglars
• explosion

V Van p59

VI SIX FOR DEAD p71

369A

15

• a handmaid at home
• adult female body, blood
• Tabitha not my real mother

16

• real mother may now be a handmaid
• visit her room

17

• handmaid pregnant
• tripotage dentiste

18

…

• Pregnant status
• Birth day
• Ofkyle had to be cut open
• Left dead in her room, eyes open
• Funeral with speech from Aunt Lydia
• Ofkyle didn’t choose

19

• Two religions
• Sinister games and songs at school
• Having a baby at home
• Big pee: strong man!

VII Stadium p109

• Aunt Vidala the enemy
• ”Topple me and I’ll pull down the temple.”
• high emigration rate
• fighting mayday, hostage exchanges
• two operatives killed, but traitor in Gilead
• ink problem and back to her arrestation
• forty herded, educated, mid-aged
• …

VIII CARNARVON p119

369B

21

• Ada breaks her phone and gives advice
• refugee organization
• change clothes, put the ones from the store

22

• Arrival at Carnarvon

23

• Daisy wakes up, Ellijah here too
• Revelations about parents
• Revelation about Baby Nicole

IX Thank Tank p135

24

• summons from C.Judd, his wife ill
• suicide of Aunt Adrianna?
• Aunt Sally reported before to me
• she’s been attacked by A.Adrianna
• they argued about notifying me
• other discoveries with microdot camera
• back to the stadium, songs
• basics taken for granted
• was hardening for what was to come
• sorry solves nothing
• clothes of the shooting women, “I put it on, what else should I have done?”

X SPRING GREEN p151

369A

25

• both sides?
• Paula, Kyle, A.Vidala
• stones in cemeteries lead to reading, which leads to depravity
• how do you become an Aunt?
• dollhouse to the poor

26

• wardrobe team
• not anybody, wedlock
• deck of cards
• measurement, Aunt writing
• already worn

27

• Rubies Premarital Preparatory
• Aunts more stylish
• other pupils from Vidala school seem older
• offers are better for younger girls
• 18 is dried goods

28

• no one should expect a cow to be a bird
• lessons but never in a position to put them into practice
• Becka’s suicide tentative
• Agnes learnt to be a better actress

XI Sackcloth p167

29

• the nightmare in the stadium
• Judd again, with records of her life, commenting against principles of Gilead
• the ordeal (with Anita)
• think → react to stimuli
• asks and is given carte blanche
• A.Vidala shot a look of hatred
• initial sessions
• C.Judd wants to be forgiven
• Vidala snitching on Elisabeth

XII CARPITZ p183

369B

30

• Mayday classed internationally as a terrorist organization
• George saw the car explode

31

• Garth and the new van
• info about Daisy’s real mother and the smuggling
• Carpita, loose lips sink ships
• the news

32

• considerations about Mayday, other countries, Republic of Texas, California, dots on the brochures
• the plan
• how A.Adrianna was killed
• fanatics kill

33

• training, Garth thawing, combat, get hands dirty, praying
• panhandle, be picked up, infiltrate smoothly
• tattoo

XIII Secateurs p207

34

• Becka afraid of penises
• may become an Aunt

XIV ARDUA HALL p219

369A

35

• 3 photographs

36

• run away? (but geography problems)
• C.Judd has been chosen
• sedate brides (must stay conscious)
• suicide?
• meeting CJ
• choosing the wedding dress, underwear like a gift package
• 14 days to live

37

• A.Lydia’s visit
• a plan to meet…

38

• arrival at Ardua Hall
• take the book

39

• Becka is here
• A.Lydia is the scariest

40

• Paula’s visit
• interviews
• women’s duty
• A.Lydia: good repaid by good

xv Fox and Cat p249

41

• all things come to she who waits
• A.Lydia ears what supplicants tell
• she pronounced the sentence
• talk with A.Elizabeth, asking her to bear false witness

XVI PEARL GIRLS p257

42

• in the street
• not be taken the first time

43

• Garth didn’t take advantage

44

• taken
• ”you’re safe now” but in the other direction
• Garth sold Daisy
• board the plane

45

• flight and landing
• no lettering
• Thanks Giving by Aunt Lydia

XVII Perfect Teeth p275

46

• still heart of tornado
• particicution of an Angel (Mayday but lemons) and Dr.Grove
• …

XVIII READING ROOM p283

369A

47

• Daisy and Becka observe Jade
• Becka fainted at the particicution because she felt she was responsible
• 9 years at Ardua Hall?
• ruthlessness we lacked

48

• for Becka, Daisy was nicer than the others at school
• anachronism with the names
• inspected like a vegetable
• Becka painted books
• read too soon your mind may be not strong enough
• A.Lily’s suicide
• nobody wants to die
• A.Vidala’s tales
• Shu’s visit

49

• Reading, writing
• did not provide the answer to all questions. It led to other questions, and then to others.
• tests and control yourself techniques
• months and years

50

• the most forbidden of books
• Becka’s warning
• Everyone at the top of Gilead has lied to us.
• believe in God or Gilead but not both

51

• the blue folder
• other folders for two years
• the one of C.Judd

XIX Study p311

52

• A.Vidala doubting about Jade
• visit to C.Judd
• mixing names and art work
• two choices

XX BLOODLINES p319

two icons

53

369B

• living a thing is different than studying it

54

369A

• Jade is not disciplined

55

369B

• lonely, where is the source?

56

369A

• a past behind my past
• sisters

57

• A.Lydia places a dot in the O

58

369A

• crucial part
• guessing game
• hugs
• the mission back

XXI Fast and Thick p341

59

• Aunts doubts
• Eyes and Angels at Ardua Hall
• C.Judd already at A.Lydia’s office

XXII HEARTSTOPPER p351

60

369A

• urgent meeting with the girls

61

• out
• Nicole punches A.Vidala

62

369B

• the drive
• act natural now? But maybe she doesn’t know anything else?
• as they went north the friendliness decreased
• get down, say the password and take the gear

63

369A

• underwear was different
• drive

64

369B

• boat, moon
• I was going home

XXIII Wall p369

• A.Vidala’s coma
• vial of morphine
• explanation for everything

XXIV THE NELLIE J. BANKS p375

66

369B

• meet the captain
• he knows Ada
• ocean
• the sister do not always agree

67

369A

• Nicole ill
• easier to climb in jeans
• engine trouble, what if caught?
• prayer
• offloaded in an inflatable
• oars

XXV Wakeup p385

• A.Vidala is sane and knows
• A.Lydia said she has brain damage and accuses A.Elizabeth

XXVI LANDFALL p393

XXVII Sendoff p401

The Thirteenth Symposium p405

Acknowledgements p417

Reading Group Discussion Points p420

Q&A with Margaret Atwood: A Trip to the Archive p423